Congress

06.13.134:06 PM ET

House Fast-Tracks Legislation to Outlaw Abortions After 22nd Week

Even in the case of rape.

On Wednesday the GOP-controlled House fast-tracked a bill to outlaw most abortions after the 22nd week of pregnancy, which drew fire from Democrats who claim the legislation will endanger women's lives. Before the vote by the House Judiciary Committee, Republican Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona said that the bill made no allowences for rape victims because “the incidents of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low." (He later backtracked, but not before the Democrats called him out on his statement.) Though this law holds little chance of passing the Democrat-controlled Senate, it reflects a growing boldness on the part of conservatives, who are pushing for more restrictive abortion laws at both the state and national levels, despite the issue being an Achilles’ heel for the party during the 2012 elections.